diff --git a/include/csv2/reader.hpp b/include/csv2/reader.hpp
index 45ffb80..78b21cd 100644
--- a/include/csv2/reader.hpp
+++ b/include/csv2/reader.hpp
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 #include <csv2/parameters.hpp>
 #include <istream>
 #include <string>
+#if ((defined(_MSVC_LANG) && _MSVC_LANG >= 201703L) || __cplusplus >= 201703L)
+	#include <string_view>
+#endif
 
 namespace csv2 {
 
@@ -50,6 +53,13 @@ class Reader {
     friend class CellIterator;
 
   public:
+  
+	// returns a view on the cell's contents if C++17 available
+	#if ((defined(_MSVC_LANG) && _MSVC_LANG >= 201703L) || __cplusplus >= 201703L)
+      std::string_view read_view() const {
+          return std::string_view (buffer_ + start_, end_ - start_);
+      }
+	#endif
     // Returns the raw_value of the cell without handling escaped
     // content, e.g., cell containing """foo""" will be returned
     // as is
@@ -86,6 +96,9 @@ class Reader {
     friend class Reader;
 
   public:
+	// returns the char length of the row
+	size_t length() const { return end_ - start_; }
+
     // Returns the raw_value of the row
     template <typename Container> void read_raw_value(Container &result) const {
       if (start_ >= end_)
@@ -252,4 +265,4 @@ class Reader {
     return result;
   }
 };
-} // namespace csv2
\ No newline at end of file
+} // namespace csv2
diff --git a/single_include/csv2/csv2.hpp b/single_include/csv2/csv2.hpp
index f9997e0..078415b 100644
--- a/single_include/csv2/csv2.hpp
+++ b/single_include/csv2/csv2.hpp
@@ -1616,6 +1616,9 @@ template <bool flag> struct first_row_is_header {
 // #include <csv2/parameters.hpp>
 #include <istream>
 #include <string>
+#if ((defined(_MSVC_LANG) && _MSVC_LANG >= 201703L) || __cplusplus >= 201703L)
+#include <string_view>
+#endif
 
 namespace csv2 {
 
@@ -1661,6 +1664,11 @@ class Reader {
     friend class CellIterator;
 
   public:
+    // returns a view on the cell's contents if C++17 available
+    #if ((defined(_MSVC_LANG) && _MSVC_LANG >= 201703L) || __cplusplus >= 201703L)
+        std::string_view read_view() const { return std::string_view(buffer_ + start_, end_ - start_); }
+    #endif
+
     // Returns the raw_value of the cell without handling escaped
     // content, e.g., cell containing """foo""" will be returned
     // as is
@@ -1697,6 +1705,9 @@ class Reader {
     friend class Reader;
 
   public:
+    // returns the char length of the row
+    size_t length() const { return end_ - start_; }
+
     // Returns the raw_value of the row
     template <typename Container> void read_raw_value(Container &result) const {
       if (start_ >= end_)
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 3ae9155..398be57 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
   set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
 endif()
 
+IF (NOT MSVC)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-Wall -Wextra")
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "-g")
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3")
+ENDIF (NOT MSVC)
 
 set_source_files_properties(main.cpp
     PROPERTIES